Henry l



(No Model.)

H. L. BAILEY.

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT AND APPARATUS FOR SYNCHRONIZINC CLOCK PENDULUMS.

Patented 1111 1 3 5, 1883.

UNITED STATES HENRY L. BAILEY,

PATENT OFFICE.

or BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO THE TIME TELEGRAP COMPANY, on NEW YORK, N. Y. w

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT AND APPARATUS FOR SYNCHRONIZING CLOCK-PENDULUMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,846, dated June 5, 1883.

Application filed February 2, 1883.

of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Circuits and Apparatus for Synchronizing Clock-Pendulums, of which the following is a specification. The object of my invention is to provide means for maintaining the movements of a series of automaticallyactuated clock-pendulums in unison with the beats of a central standard clock or regulator.

The invention consists in applying to the pendulum of a regulator a circuit-controlling device adapted to periodically and momentari- 1y interrupt the circuit of a battery whose con nections are at other times completed through an electric conductor leading to each of the series of secondary pendulums, and in applying to each ofthe secondary pendulums a device arranged to modify its movements when either faster or slower than the regulator-pendulum, but not to act upon the same when moving in unison therewith. The devices applied to the secondary pendulums comprise an electro-magnet placed near the lower extremity of the pendulum and included in a loop circuit ofthe main line. The connections of this circuit are automatically so controlled by the movements of the pendulum, to which the electro-magnet is applied, that they are normallycompleted only during the time or a portion of the time that the main-line connections are interrupted by the regulatonpendulum. It results, therefore, that the electro-magnets are notvitalized so long as the pendulums are in unison. g If, however, any one of the secondary pendulums become faster or slower than the regulator, the corresponding branch circuit will be completed during a portion of the period that the main-line circuit remains uninterrupted by the regulator-pendululn, and theelectroanagnet included therein will act upon the pendir lum, either to accelerate or retard its move ment, as may be necessary for the purpose of synchronizing it.

The invention also consists in applying to the coils of the electro-magnets a non-inductive shunt-circuit, automatically brought into action when the electro-magnets are vitalized,

(No model.)

| and serving to neutralize the induced currents incident to the discharge of the electromagnets by the interruption of the circuit there through.

.The accompanying drawing is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of apparatus and circuits embodying my invention as applied to a primary or regulating pendulum and three secondary pendulums, located at different stations, and respectively designated as stations A 777 (B 777 4132?! ((133.77

The regulating-pendu1ums a, Z), If, and I at the respective stations A, B, B, and B" construction, and to have, as nearly as practicable, the same periods of oscillation. regulatingpendulum a is provided with a circuit-breaking device, '0, which consists of a flexible comlucting-spring, 0, supported at one extremity in a frame, 0. The free extremity of this spring carries a contact-point, t, which normally rests, by virture of the resilience of th 6 spring, against a corresponding insulated contact-point, t, carried upon the frame a. The whole device is adjustablyv supported from a fixed arm, 0 by means of an adj Listing-screw 0".

Upon the pendulum a is mounted a stud or arm, 0*, preferably of non conducting material, which arm is caused by the swing of the pendulum to impinge against the spring cwhen the pendulum is near the limit of its movement in that direction, thereby causing the tact-point t. v

The contact-point t is electrically connected by means of a conductor, Z, with one pole of a battery, E. The contact-spring c is in elec trical connection through a main line, L, extending through the series of sub-stations B, B", and with the remaining pole of the battery E. -'It is evident thus that by properly adjusting the position of the circuitbreaker 0 relative to the pendulum a the circuit of the battery E may be interrupted during a greater or less portion of the beat of the pendulum.

To each of the penduluins b, I), and b at the sub-stations B, B and is applied an electro-magnet, as shown at M, DP, and M These electro-magnets are respectively inmay be considered as actuated by a suitable" mechanical or electrical device of well-known V The contact-point 1 to be separated from the con-' cluded in loop-circuits ol' the main line. The connections of theseloop-cireuits are controlled by circuit-closing devices I), D, and I), re spectively applied to the pendulums l), I), and b. 4

The construction and organization of the apparatus at each of the secondary stations are tact-point, a, carried in the frame (1.

the same, and will therefore be described wit-h reference to the station B only.

The circuit-controlling device D, which normally acts to complete the circuitconnections of the branch circuit through the electroanagnet M during a portion of the time the circuit of the battery E is interrupted by the circuitbreaker 0, comprises an adjustable frame, (1, supported in a manner similar to the frame by an upright, (1 and screw (1. A flexible contact-spring, (I, is rigidly attached at one extremityto the frame (1. The opposite extremity of the spring carries a contact-point, '21, which normally rest-s, by virtue of the resilience of the spring, against an insulated cou- The main-line section I, proceeding from the central station A, is connected with the contactpoint a, and the contact-spring (1 is likewise connected with the sect-ion Z of the main line, proceeding to the next station, B A second d in proximityto the spring 6?, and preferably parallel. therewith and insulated therefrom. The free extremity of this spring normally rests against an insulated resting-contact, v, on the frame (1, out of contact with the spring d. The spring (1 electrically connected by a conductor, 4, with one terminal of the helix of the electro-magnet M. Theremainingterminal of this helix is connected by a conductor, 3,'at a point, 2, with the section l of the main line L.

Upon the pendulum b is carried a stud or arm, i arranged to press the contact-spring (1 out of contact withits resting-contact 2:, and to cause a contact-point, 1), carried thereon, to strike against a second contact-point, v", carried upon the contactspring (1, thereby closing the circuit of the main line through the conductor 53, electro-niaguet M, and conductor 4, to the spring (1", and thence through the spring (I to the main-line section I. Immediately upon the closing of this circuit the further swing of the pendului'n. causes the spring (I to be n-cssed away from the wntact-point a, thereby interrupting the circuit betwctai the main-line sections 1 and I. The connections of the main line at the station will there fore remain closed only through the electromagnet M until the pendulum has passed upon its return-beat the point at which the mainline circuit was interrupted.

Attached to the lower extremity of the penduluni I) is a soft-iron armature, m, which is f troanagnet M.

carried by the vibration of the pendulum through the potential field of force oft-he elecmagnet, and thus the degree of attraction it will be caused to exert upon the armature on,

The proximity of the electro-- is rendered adjustable by means of a suitable adjusting-screw, on. The electro-magnet M is, moreover, preferably so placed with reference to its armature m and the pendulum that the center of its magnetic iield will be at a point between thecentral point of the vibration of the pendulum and one extreme of its swing. This position may, if desired, be rendered adjustable by supporting the standard 7;, which carries the vertical adjustingscrew m, in a rack, 7r, in which it is longiti'idinally adjustalile by means of a thumb-screw, 7.. The rack 7. is preferably formed in the are 01' a circle whose center coincides with the point of suspension of the pendulum.

The positionot' the circuitcontrolling de vice D relative to the circuit-breaker U is such that normally the circuit will be interrupted at the points i and I immediately before the circuit is closed through the electromagnet M. So long, therefore, asthc pendulums are beating in unison the circuit of the battery E will not be closed through any of the electro-magnets. ll", on the other hand, one of the penc'lulums, as I), is faster than the regulating-peudulum u, the circuit through the (an-responding electro-nutgnet, M, will be closed at the points r and r of the circuitcontroller D before the connections of the battery E have been interrupted at the points I and t. The electromagnet M will therefore be vitalized and remain so until the circuit is broken either by the circuit-closer U or the controller 1)*. Likewise, if one of the secondary pendulums, as 7)", be slower than the regir lating-peiululum a, the corresponding electromagnct, Mi, will be vitalized during the time that the circuit therethrough remains closed at the points i) and c of the circuit-controller D after the completion of the circuit of the battery E at the points if and t.

For the purpose of adapting the electro-magnets M to most advantageously retard a fast pendulum and accelerate a slow one, I prefer to so adjust their positions relative to the arcs of the vibrations that the centers of the field of force of each shall be intermediate between its central point of vibration and one extremity, 0, thereof, and the point selected is preferably also intermediate between the central point of the arc and the point which the pendulum reaches when the branch circuit of the corre sponding electro-niagnet is closed by its circuit-controller 1). The relative positions in the are which I prefer are ap1 )roxiniate]y indicated in the drawings as follows: 1) is the central point in the swing of the pendulumthat is to say, its pointof stable equilibrium; 0, the extreme limit of its movement toward the circuit-controlling device; .9, the point at which the pendulum has arrived when the main-line circuit is interrupted bythe circuit breaker (f and sthc position of the pendulum at the instant the circuitcontroller 1) acts to close the loop-circuit. The center of the field offoree of the electro-magnet M is at n. It

will be evident, thus, that if the pendulum b is moving in the direction indicated by the arrow and slightly in advance of the pendulum a, the electro magnet M will be vitalized when that pendulum has reached the point .8, thereby acting to retard the pendulum.

Before the pendulum b" has completed its mo ve-- ment in the direction indicated by the arrow the circuit of the battery E will have been interrupted by the circuit-breaker C, and the electro-magnet will therefore no longer be vitalized. If, on the otherhand, one of the pend ulums, as I), be a very little slower than the regulator-pendulum a, the circuit of the bat tcry E being first interrupted by the circuitbreaker (J, the electro-magnet M will not be vitalized until both pendulums are moving in the direction indicated by the arrows ;z/ and the pendulum a has arrived at the point .9,

thereby allowing the main-line circuit to be,

closed by the circuit-breaker C. The electromagnet M" will therefore remain vitalized until the circuit therethrough is interrupted by the circuit-controller I). An attraction will therefore be exerted upon the armature in until it reaches the point 3', thereby tending to hasten the descent of the pendulum and to cause it to gain upon the pendulum u. If a single impulse proves insufficient to bring the pendulums into unison, the operation will be repeated at every beat until the desired result is accomplished.

In each of the instances thus far considered it has been assumed that the secondary pendulum is very nearly in unison. If, however, for any reason, one of the secondary pendulums were so far out of unison that the main line circuit-s were closed during the entire time the contactpoints c and c are in contact, the corresponding electro-magnet, M, will be vitalized, and attract its armature equally during its movements from and toward the point 8. The effect upon the pendulum of these forces, considered without reference to attendant forces, will be 'to accelerate and to retard the pendul'um equally. If, however, the attendant ef fects were such. as to cause the one force to exceedthe other, the pendulum will ultimately be brought into unison with the regulating pendulum in themanner already described.

For the purpose of counterbalancing the resistance offered by the electro-magnets M, an adjustable artificial resistance, R, is preferably included at each sub-station in the section I of the main line connecting the preceding station therewith, at a point between the contactpoint a and the point 2, at which the conductor '3 is attached.

In the practical operation of the device it is desirable that the discharge of the electro magnet M, after their circuits have bceninterrupted, should be as nearly as possible instantaneous, and also that the induced currents therefrom should be neutralized for the purpose of preventing the occurrence of disruptive discharges at the points 1) and if. To

effect these results, I construct the electro-magnet M with two coils and cores in the usual manner, and apply thereto a device operating to close a shunt-circuit around the coils of the electro-magnet during a portion of the time the magnet is vitalized. This shunt-circuit remains closed a sufficient time after the circuit through the electro-magnet is interrupted to allow the discharge to occur. This device, which is illustrated in connection with the electro-magnet M, consists of an armature, 12, carried upon an armature-lever, n, above the pole n of the magnet M, and so constructed that when attracted into proximity thereto it will make contact with an adjustable contactspring, a. The ler'cr n is normally held away from the pole n and the contact-spring a by means of a suitable retractile spring, a. The contact-spring a" is electrically connected bya conductor, 5, with the conductor 3, leading from one terminal of the coils of the combined electro-magnct, and the armature n. is likewise connected through a conductor, 6, and a suitable adj ustable noninductive resistance, r, with the conductor i leading from the other terminal of the coils of the electro-magnet. The spring a is so adjusted that the armature n will be brought into contact therewith at an intermediate point in its vibration, thereby closing the shuntcircuit. The spring'yields to the pressure of the armature and is deflected toward the pole of the magnet, still maintaining the shunt-circuit closed. 11011 the circuit through the electro-magnet is interrupted the shunt circuit will remain closed until the spring-contact has returned to its normal position. This will allow a sufficient time for the discharge of the magnet to be completed through the shunt-circuit, and no effect therefore will be manifested at the points '0 and v The path offered to the induced current through the shunt-circuit serves also to hasten the disto the resultant resistance offered by the two circuits 3 iand 5 6.

I have illustrated the above-described device as applied to one pendulum only; but I contemplate applying it to any or all of the pendulums in. a system.

It is evident that any required number of clectro-magnets included in a single circuit 3 4 may be shunted in this manner by the action of asingle circuit-closing described.

I do not. herein claim the specific construction of the devices for controlling the connections of the shunt-circuit around the coils of the electro-magnets, as I propose to embody the same in an application to be hereafter filed by me.

I claim as my invention device, such as that 4 was 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbel'ore set forth, with a battery and a main line constituting the circuit of said battery, of a regulator-pendulum, a circuit-ln'eaker actuated by said pendulum for momentarily interrupting the circuit-conneetions of said main line, a series of autoii'iaticallv-actuated peiululums, a series ot'electroanagnets, one for each of said pendulums, and an independent circuit-closer applied to each of said automatically-aetuated pendulums, each of which circuit closers is adapted to place the corresponding electromagnet in the circuit of said. main line normally during a portion only of the time the circuit oisaid battery is interrupted.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with a main line and a battery applied thereto, ot'a regulatorpendulum, a circuit-breaker acting to interrupt the connections of said battery (hiring a portion of the beat of said pendulum, a series of automatically-actuated pendulums, a series oi electro-magnets, respectively applied to said automatically-act uated pendulums, and means, substantially such as described, for causing each of said elec tro-magnets to be included in the circuit of the main line during periods of timedependent upon the phase of the corresponding pendulum relative to that of the regulator-pendulum.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbei'ore set forth, oi a main line, means, substantially such as described, for periodically interrupting an electric current normally travers ing the same, a series of vibrating pendulums, a series of electro-magnets respectively applied to a series of armatures carried upon said pendulums, and an independent circuit closer ap plied to each of said vibrating pendulums, each of which circuit-closers is adapted to place the corresponding eleetro-ma-gnet to be periodically included in the circuit of the main line during a period of less duration than the periods during which the circuit of the main line is interrupted.

-.t. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a standard or regulator pendulum, an automaticallyactuated pendulum, an armature carried at the extremity of said a-utoiiiatically-actuated pein'lulum, an electro-magnct located in proximity to the arc of oscillation of said armature at a point between one extremity and the center of the same, and means, substantially such as described, acting to cause said electro-magnet to be periodically vitalized only when said automatically-actuated pendulum is not beating in unison with said regulator-pendulum.

The comlnnation, substantially as herein before set forth, of a pendulum, an armature carried at the extremity of said pendulum, an eleetro-magnet located in proximity to the are of oscillation of said armature at a point between one extremity and the center of the same, a main line anda circuit-closer operated by the movements of said pendulum and acting to include said electro-magnet in the circuit of said main line after said armature has been carried beyond the central point in the field of force of said eleetro-magnet by the spring of said pendulum away from the central point of its oscillation, and-to out said eleetro-magnet out of circuit before said armature is returned to said central point in its field of force.

6. The combination, substantially as hereinbei'ore set forth, of a Vibrating pendulum, an armature carried at the extremity thereof, an electro-magnet situated in proximity to its arc of vibration, a main line, a main battery the connections of which are normally completed through said main line independently of said electro-magnet, a circuit-breaker adapted to periodically interrupt the connections of said battery with said main line, and a circuitcloser applied to said vibrating pendulum and adapted to substitute for the, normal connections of said main line a circuit through the coils of said electro-magnet.

7. The combination, substantially as hereinbei'ore set forth, of a vibrating pendulum, an armature carried upon the extremity of said pendulum, an electroanagnet situated in proxiinity to its arc of vibration, a main line, a conductor composing a section of said main line, an artificial resistance included in the circuit of said section approximately equal to the resistance of said electro-magnet, and means, substantially such as described, for substituting for said section of the mainline a conductor including said electro'magnet.

S. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a vibrating pendulum, an armature carried upon the extremity of said pendulum, an elect-ro-magnet situated in proximity to its are of vibration, a main line, a conductor composing a section of said main line, an artificial resistance included in the circuit of said section approximately equal to the resistance of said electromagnet, means, substantially such as described, for substituting for said section of the main line a (-onduetor incltuling said olectro-nnignei, and a vibrating armature applied to said electromagnet acting to close a shunt-circuit arouinl the coils of the same while in proximity to the poles thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto sub scribed my name this 1st day of February, A. l). 1888.

HF N R Y L. BAILEY.

\Vitnesses:

DANIEL \V. Eocnconn, CHARLES A. TERRY. 

